body clock totally screwed

[tinman0]

its 105 and i'm bright and alert if not a little drunk. i'm still on US time which was 6 hours back. i'm waking at 10am feeling as if its 4am after 9 hours sleep.

has anybody any ideas?

help

[scorp]

melatonin

[zaktoo]

what works for me is to stay up all night, through the next day, and sleep as late as possible in the evening. Say 9 or 10 if you can make it, but any time after 7 or 8 should be fine. You'll sleep right through to 8 in the morning if you're anything like me.

Of course, my body clock is fine for a day, then I go & it up again by working into the wee hours the day after

[tinman0]

did that when i landed zak.

landed at 8am only slept for a couple of hours on the flight (possibly), then spent the next day wide awake, got drunk, went to bed late. got up bright and daisy on the following morning.

been downhill ever since. might as well fly back to florida for all the use i am.

[^Slider^]

Shift changes are the worst.
Have just finished a wind up to nights.
1600 - 0000
1600 - 0100
1700 - 0300
then nights
2200 - 0700
2200 - 0700
2200 - 0700
and a quick swing which starts same day as the night finishes.
1800 - 0000 then 3 days off.

Can i get to sleep... can i hell.

whats worse is i start earlies on saturday for 5 days of 0700 - 1800.

Tried alcohol no joy tried staying up and im still falling asleep and find im waking up in the afternoon.

will try Nytol tomorow night or im going to be a nightmare at work come saturday!

All i can suggest is maybe a light meal and some horlicks, an early bath maybe just doing as little as possible and relaxing and seeing if that works.

It has worked in the past for me but not this time.

Best of luck and i too need suggestions!!

[tinman0]

well, i'm watching big brother which i'm sure will bore me to bed soon.

love to get laid tonight, but the missus would have something to say considering shes not here.

>> Edited by tinman0 on Friday 27th January 01:25

[^Slider^]

It gets worse Gaz.
This is my Pattern.

1600 - 0100
2200 - 0700
2200 - 0700
2200 - 0700
2200 - 0700
1600 - 0300
1400 - 2300

2 days off

0700 - 1700
0700 - 1700
0700 - 0700

4 days off

1600 - 0000
1600 - 0100
1700 - 0300
2200 - 0700
2200 - 0700
2200 - 0700
1600 - 0000

3 days off

0700 - 1800
0700 - 1800
0700 - 1800
0700 - 1800
0700 - 1800

4 days off

and repeat.

Its a killer even though it seems like we get a good amount of time off we spend a few days getting in the swing of the next lot of shifts.

[up-the-dubs]

Jesus! What do you two do?

[^Slider^]

Thats actually quite a good summary.

No real quality time with the other half and your always recovering from the previous set of shifts or trying to get into the swing of the next shifts.

Im sure theres an answer somewhere other than taking holiday.

It works out ok if you time your holidays so you dont use that much leave but in reality you hardly see anyone not even the missus.

And people wander why the number of police are leaving front line roles and going to easy posts which are 9 - 5!

And one of the highest divorce rates, by spending more time with your shift or a crewmate in the car than with the wife / partner.

Im sure there is an answer somewhere to balance it all out... i have not found it yet though!

[imperialism2024]

tinman0 said:

its 105 and i'm bright and alert if not a little drunk. i'm still on US time which was 6 hours back. i'm waking at 10am feeling as if its 4am after 9 hours sleep. has anybody any ideas? help

Hmm that's how all of us in the US feel!

[^Slider^]

Gazboy said:

up-the-dubs said: Jesus! What do you two do? Sliders a copper (my local copper at that, I think) and I work for a newspaper.

I am, i work in the same area he lives, not quite youe beat bobby mind you but same command unit.

[^Slider^]

Gazboy said:

^Slider^ said: Shift changes are the worst. Have just finished a wind up to nights. 1600 - 0000 1600 - 0100 1700 - 0300 then nights 2200 - 0700 2200 - 0700 2200 - 0700 and a quick swing which starts same day as the night finishes. 1800 - 0000 then 3 days off. Ooooooo! Triple day shift! I couldn't do that. Mine are: 1800-0430 1800-0615 1800-0445 1900-0500 0600-1800 The day shifts make me chuck, the longer night shifts make me feel shit.

But your shifts are a tad unsociable. You cant really have that much time with the family based on that pattern. and the last 2 shifts cant be right, thats a 20 hr day....

[Gaffer]

scorp said:

melatonin

Anther vote from me. When I went to HK and Japan, I struggled to get into the correct pattern, I was at the Felix bar in HK one night and the barman recommended Melatonin to me during a conversation.

Next day a trip to the local Watsons and I was stocked up. Took it again this month to get me back into work mode after having 2 months off and I had got into the habit of bed 3/4/5/6 am then up in the afternoon.

Go and get some asap. They do actually work otherwise go and score some Temazepams

Claire

[^Slider^]

Gazboy said:

^Slider^ said: Gazboy said: up-the-dubs said: Jesus! What do you two do? Sliders a copper (my local copper at that, I think) and I work for a newspaper. I am, i work in the same area he lives, not quite youe beat bobby mind you but same command unit. Is Gone/Madcop the 'local' dog handler btw? I bet it was your boys who stopped me on last Thursday/Friday???

I know our dog handlers. I thing Gone is a shift skipper now and i didnt think madcop was TVP.

Where were you on thurs fri and at what time cos if it was the right time then i will know who it was.

BTW we dont have local handlers they all deplot from either Reading, MK, Slough or Oxford

[^Slider^]

I think i would find that harder in a way.
But i guess the weeks off help a fair bit in between.
Its all what your used tooo i guess. With your pattern you get a fair crack of hols, i get the standard 21 days a year.

(thats if i have read what you said properly!) as in work a 9 week pattern and get 2 off.

Mine works out at a 40 hr week over the course of a year but just feels like i do nothing but work when overtime comes into play. Even if i finish on time i just never seem to be away from the job.






>> Edited by ^Slider^ on Friday 27th January 02:21

[mybrainhurts]

tinman0 said:

its 105 and i'm bright and alert if not a little drunk. i'm still on US time which was 6 hours back. i'm waking at 10am feeling as if its 4am after 9 hours sleep. has anybody any ideas?

Go back to America and sleep it off......

[imperialism2024]

mybrainhurts said:

tinman0 said: its 105 and i'm bright and alert if not a little drunk. i'm still on US time which was 6 hours back. i'm waking at 10am feeling as if its 4am after 9 hours sleep. has anybody any ideas? Go back to America and sleep it off......

That works.

Apparently we could use the money

[pesty]

4 on 4 off shift here. 2 12 hour days the 2 12 hours nights.

which is why im wide awake at 3:46 am

[scorp]

I'll say it again, nothing cures a broken body clock like melatonin. A single tablet will sort you out.

>> Edited by scorp on Friday 27th January 12:57

[BliarOut]

Roll a spliff and eat some chocolate cake, that'll do it. ^Slider^, it's probably best if you don't follow my advice